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12 October 1917 was New Zealand’s blackest day. We lost 843 Kiwis in the space of a few hours on the battlefields of Passchendaele. The conditions were horrific, young men and horses drowning in the mud, fighting an impossible battle through deep shell craters and against a fortified German position. It was doomed from the start.

In the interactive documentary Spurred On, New Zealand actor Dean O’Gorman travels to Belgium to those First World War battlefields. He’s on a journey discovering his personal connection to the place, and uncovering the story of the O’Gorman brothers, a family of New Zealand brothers who fought at Passchendaele. Dean meets with experts and historians, both in New Zealand and Belgium, to piece together what happened 100 years ago.

“It’s been incredibly rewarding working on Spurred On,” says Producer Gary Scott. “Passchendaele was a horrific event in New Zealand’s history, and Dean was the perfect person to uncover that story. His genuine nature, curiosity, and sensitivity make for a moving account. It’s been an insightful and memorable experience. I feel privileged to bring this story to Kiwi audiences.”

This compelling interactive documentary gives the viewer control over the narrative. There’s a variety of bonus content and fascinating stories that emerged as part of Dean’s journey, alongside the five key chapters which make up the heart of the story.

Spurred On has been produced with support from NZ On Air and is a co-production for the CNZ Digital Media Fund. The Canadian leg of Spurred On follows actor RH Thompson on a similar journey to Dean O’Gorman, tracing his own story and ties to the notorious battlefields of Passchendaele.

Spurred On will screen on TVOne at 4pm on Sunday 8 October 2017 and can be viewed through SpurredOn.nz